TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MENA WEEKLY STAR NOVEMBER 15, 1917 P. 4
Dear Star Readers:
I have been thinking of writing to you Star Readers for some time, and did once but Mr. Waste Basket happened to be at home and got my note. But as it’s so near Thanksgiving, I’m hoping for better luck.
This is a special pay day and all the boys are feeling good and these Ten Dollar Williams look good to us, but most of us bought three Liberty Bonds, so we get only $15.
To give you an idea how soon we are to leave, our captain told us to take care of our money– that we might need it any day.
Every two hours today 600 boys left for Alexandria, La. and I’m sure we would have been gone but our regiment is under quarantine for the measles.
There are 105 have the measles today, and you can imagine how pretty the Polk county boys are.
Most of us boys are in the same company and those who are not we see often.
We have been issued full supply of clothes now and the next thing we expect is an “Eddy” rifle and a bayonet 16 inches long, which of course, sounds like war.
I guess some of the boys who were not drawn will want to go along when we start to France but you boys must stay at home and make something for us to eat.
We boys have a good Y. M. C. A. and we do appreciate it. They do many nice things for us.
We generally go to Little Rock on Saturday and all enjoy seeing the sights in our capital city.
A large crowd of we boys visited the penitentiary last Sunday and we all decided that we had rather be anywhere else.
I guess I had better quit.
I am almost sure I’ll be at Alexandria, La. By the time I write again.
Yours truly
Robert L. Dorough
Co. K 346 Inf. Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Robert Lee Dorough was born on August 31, 1895 at Aly, in Yell County, Ark. and died on March 6, 1994 at Bethany, Oklahoma. He is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. in the U. S. Army during WW I. He enlisted on September 9, 1917 and was discharged on March 31, 1919. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and dark hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
Dear Star Readers:
I have been thinking of writing to you Star Readers for some time, and did once but Mr. Waste Basket happened to be at home and got my note. But as it’s so near Thanksgiving, I’m hoping for better luck.
This is a special pay day and all the boys are feeling good and these Ten Dollar Williams look good to us, but most of us bought three Liberty Bonds, so we get only $15.
To give you an idea how soon we are to leave, our captain told us to take care of our money– that we might need it any day.
Every two hours today 600 boys left for Alexandria, La. and I’m sure we would have been gone but our regiment is under quarantine for the measles.
There are 105 have the measles today, and you can imagine how pretty the Polk county boys are.
Most of us boys are in the same company and those who are not we see often.
We have been issued full supply of clothes now and the next thing we expect is an “Eddy” rifle and a bayonet 16 inches long, which of course, sounds like war.
I guess some of the boys who were not drawn will want to go along when we start to France but you boys must stay at home and make something for us to eat.
We boys have a good Y. M. C. A. and we do appreciate it. They do many nice things for us.
We generally go to Little Rock on Saturday and all enjoy seeing the sights in our capital city.
A large crowd of we boys visited the penitentiary last Sunday and we all decided that we had rather be anywhere else.
I guess I had better quit.
I am almost sure I’ll be at Alexandria, La. By the time I write again.
Yours truly
Robert L. Dorough
Co. K 346 Inf. Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Robert Lee Dorough was born on August 31, 1895 at Aly, in Yell County, Ark. and died on March 6, 1994 at Bethany, Oklahoma. He is buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. in the U. S. Army during WW I. He enlisted on September 9, 1917 and was discharged on March 31, 1919. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and dark hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.